Writer Gabriela Massuh explains how Buenos Aires is becoming increasingly more segregated
Friday, December 2, 2016
Writer Gabriela Massuh explains how Buenos Aires is becoming increasingly more segregated
By Santiago Del Carril
Herald Staff
Writer Gabriela Massuh explains how private real-estate investment reshaped Buenos Aires and why the capital is becoming increasingly more segregated
Writer Gabriela Massuh, the author of the 2014 book El robo de Buenos Aires (“The robbery of Buenos Aires”), is considered to be something of an expert on how private real-estate investment has transformed Buenos Aires over the past decades, with the support of the city and federal governments. And what she’s discovered isn’t pretty.
The academic is very critical of the changes in the capital, which she says are forming a city that is becoming increasingly more segregated by the day, leading the City to lose its soul. In an interview with the Herald, Massuh spoke about the differences between the north and south of Buenos Aires, and argued the current government’s plans to “integrate” is really much more sinister than what first appears to the eye.
When did the demographic and sociological divide between the north and southern part of Buenos Aires City begin?
The south was never given much attention. The focus was increasingly given to the north, from the very beginning. It started with the yellow fever plague that affected the city during the 1870s, leading the neighbourhoods of Barracas and San Telmo to be abandoned, with people moving north to flee the plague. Since then people with more purchasing-power have started to move north, and the south has ended up with the irregular settlements and social housing, which continues to this day.
How has that changed?
This year it has changed a lot. Both President Mauricio Macri and former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner refer to any empty spot in the city as a “black point” and that value had to be put into these “points,” or actions taken to sell or build the land and allow the real estate businesses in.
Now, the south — mainly Commune 8 comprised of Villa Soldati, Villa Riachuelo and Villa Lugano — is a focal point for real estate speculation. This is where the main informal housing areas such as irregular housing settlements (Villas) 11-14, 20 and Lugano are located, as well as public lands such as the Indo-American park, the City Park and the racetrack. They are commercialising these green spaces in the city, transforming them into sports centres — part of the racetrack is being sold to companies that will produce sportswear.
Why did the residents agree to this?
Because they are urbanising irregular housing settlements in exchange, and promising to give residents low-rate mortgages so they can purchase housing developments — which they will build.
This isn’t the same as a public housing development. While the BA City government mediates these business deals and makes a lot of money off them, they continue to remove the residents with fewer resources for the area. The association of irregular housing settlements agreed to it because they will receive some crumbs, but it is not an integrated development nor (does it) give real jobs to the residents. These types of exchanges are being done in the north as well.
More:
http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/223954/writer-gabriela-massuh-explains-how-buenos-aires-is-becoming-increasingly-more-segregated
